Package and closure therefor



Nov. 6, 1928.

1,690,851 M. B. BEHRMAN PACKAGE AND CLOQSURE THEREFOR Filed March 27, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1' INVENTOR ATTORNEY I llll BY WW w wlw Nov. 6, 192& A 1,690,851

- v Y M. B. BEHRMAN PACKAGE AND CLOSURE THEREFOR Filed March 27, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 T fil 0 O 0 /o o 0 I) 5 0 50 g 50 5 Z,

i F42 44 45 7 g T 50 50 5d 5 5O 50 I; o o 4 o 0 =1 Fig.1: 5s

INVENTOR as BY Maw M ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 1928;

8 j UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

mancus 3. BEHRMAN, or Nliw Yoa'x, N. Y.,\ASSIG1\TOR *rc mm 1.0:: sun. conrom- TION, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION or NEw YORK. Y

PACKAGE AND CLOSURE THEREFOR.

-Applicationflled March 27, 1925. Serial No. 18,775. "I

- My present invention relates generally to improvements in packaging and involves the method and means for securing a package or container in closed condition and coordinate- 6 ly involves the method and means for securment whereby a container of this character m can have its elements arranged in the form of sheets cut to predetermined shape and size, which elements can then be shaped or folded for assembly immediately prior to use.

Merchants who do a credit or exchange business'find that it is a common practice for a prospective customer to order up merchandise and after making use of or otherwise handling the contents to then return the merchandise for credit or exchange, and my invention has particular utility to prevent such practice occuring without detection. Its utility, however, extends generally to the field of packages and containers and of 95 maintaining the package or container closures 1n predetermined position, and certain phases of my invention may serve even a broader field of utility.

One of the objects of my invention is the provision of an arrangement whereby a conagainst opening of the receptacle or tampertainer closure can be associated with the container against accidental removal and then afiixed thereto so that the closure member cannot be removed without detection.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an arrangement whereby the means for securing the closure against removal can also serve to reinforce and brace thebox against distortion and breakage.

A still furtherobject of my invention is the provision of a simple and inexpensive means'which on the one hand permits of rapidly fastening receptacles, containers or the like and on the other hand insures ing with the contents thereof and which therefore provides a means for detecting the breach of a specific provision against such acts imposed by the merchant upon the prospective customer where return is requested. Containers of the type in which the box elements are in the form of sheets, which are folded to form the box parts are generally provided with arrangements for maintaining the box parts in their shaped or folded con.-

dition. Another object of my invention is the provision of an arrangement for maintaining box parts in its shaped or folded condition and more particularly, the provision and; arrangement for such purpose of fasteningand which not only maintain such box part in such condition, but also serve to hold the box parts together so as to maini tam the receptacle or container in a closed condition. A still further object of my invention is the provision of fastening elements of such a'character that they coact with the box parts not only to maintain them associated together but also permit of their being sealed together so as to prevent any separation of the parts Without detection.

For the attainment of these objects and such further objects as. may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, I have illustrated embodiments of myinvention in the accompanying drawings Wherein- Fig. 1 shows in perspective one embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 33 of Fig. 1 showing the use of modified form of holding means;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of my invention in which the cover is received on the inside Fig. 5 shows a blank from which the bottom of a modified form of container is to be formed by a folding operation; 1 Fig. 6 is a broken away view of the blan of Fig. 5 partly folded to form the bottom of the box;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary View of sufiiicent of the top and bottomblanks of the embodiment of Fig. 5 folded and ready to be assomated to form the closed container;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view of the contamer of Fig 7 completely assembled and locked; s

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the fastener element employed in Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 and 11 show the blanks from which the side wall structure and either the top or bottom of a knock-down embodiment of my box can be formed for assembly;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a container' partly formed of the blanks of Figs. 10

of Fig. 12 to show the manner of associating the tie or tackle member with said embodiment.

Fig. 14 shows a blank from which the fasteners of the .embodiment of Fig. 12 are formed;

Fig. is a perspective view of such fastener after it has been formed for use; and

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 13 showing a modified manner of associating the tie or tackle member with this embodiment.

In the embodiment of Fig. 1, I show a receptacle container 11 having side walls 12 illustrated as integral with the bottom, and a cover or closure member 13 illustrated as having the depending continuous flange 14 arranged to be ositioned adjacent to and overlapping the side walls 12 on the outside. The container may be made of a regularly distortable material such as fibre board. Uponviewing Fig. 2 of the drawing, it will he observed that Iprovide the upstanding walls 12' of the container with a plurality of members 15 preferably formed of metal and secured thereto in any preferred or desired manner and each having the lip 16 projecting outwardly therefrom and each member 15 having an opening or perforation 17 therethrough as shown in Fig. 1. The walls 12 may be provided with as many of these members may be found convenient or necessary, four being illustrated in the embodiment of Fig. 1 one for each wall. The depending flange 1 1 of the cover member 13 is provided with slots 18 so positioned and of such a size that when the cover is placed in its container closing position as shown in Fig. 1, each one of these slots 18 will register with one of the projecting lips 16 and due to the distortability of either the cover member or the body member or both, the members 16 can be caused to pass through the slots 18 and project therebeyond as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 for a sufiicient distance to expose the openings 17.

The engagement of the elements 16 with the cover member as shown in Fig. 1 will hold the cover against accidental removal and to seal the closure against removal without detection, 1 pass through each of the openings 17 in the member 16, the flexible shackle or tie 19 each end of which is provided with the anchoring tip 20 formed so that the diameter or thickness thereof is disproportionately less than i'he length, with the flexible tie or shackle 19 attached to the tips so that the effect of the fastening point is intermediate the ends of the tip 20, one end 20 of the tip being preferably formed so as to serve as a guidmg or piercing portion and the other end 20 forming a handle portion. The tips 20 are then each passed through the pening 21 into the cavity in the seal 22 which is enlarged within its interior to receive the tip in transversely arwidth of the tip so that when the tips 20 are inserted in the seal 22 as described, any pull upon the shackle will automatically position the tips 20 transversely of the seal 22 so as'to prevent the removal of the tips therefrom.

It will thus be seen that the cover of the box is not only held in position on the container by the member 16 but is locked and sealed in such position by the tie member 19 and the seal, 22 so that the cover cannot be removed without detection, because such removal will require the destruction of either part of the container or of the tie member.

The tie member 19 is made no longer than is absolutely necessary to permit of its being passedall the way around the box with the tips 20 secured within the seal 22 so that the tie 19 serves not only the securing and seal ing purposes already described, but also serves to brace the box against undue bulging or distortion.

In Fig. 3 of the drawing, I show the slightly modified form of the fastener used in the embodiment of Figure 3 and in which the members 15' are made of length of sheet material such as wire doubled over so as to provide the eye 16', the ends of the strip 15 being bent'in opposite directions against the inner surface of the container, the wall of "the container being received between these ends 15" and the widenedinner or seat portions 16" of the eye 16.

A container constructed to receive the cover within the outlines thereof so that no portion of the cover projects or extends beyondthe walls of the container, possesses certain advantages and in Fig. 4, I show an embodiment of my invention in which the cover is so secured and upon viewing this figure, it will be observed that the cover 30 is provided with a continuous upstanding wall 31 and is so dimensioned as to fit snugly within the walls 32 of the container 33.

The Walls of the container are provided with openings 3 1 through which are received the members 35 carried by walls of the cover and in the projecting portions 36 of the members 35, there are provided the openings 37 through which is passed securing means such as a shackle 19 With tips secured or the seal 22 as already described in connection with embodiments of Fig. 1.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, I have illustrated a further embodiment of the securing and sealing means which may serve either as alternative arrangement for that already in connection with this figure or as supplemental thereto. This embodiment comprises a short shackle 38 passed around the outside of each corner of the box with tips 20 (not shown) passed through theregistering openings, 39, 39 on opposite sides of,

tips .being forced throug 1. It will-be understood from the description given in connection with Fig. 1 that when the tips are forced through the base 30 of. the cover, which as stated may be fibre board, that the tips will then position themselves so as to prevent their withdrawal. The tips 20 employed in this embodiment may have their ends 20' pointed so as to permit of their being forced through the side walls of the container and of the cover and then through the bottom or body wall of the cover or where desired, the box in the cover can be provided with predeter-minedly positioned openings so as to permit of the tips being passed through.

In Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, I show an embodiment of my invention particularly intended for the lighter weight boxes such as are generally employed for the packaging of suits, dresses, cloaks, etc. and in which I employ a construction of a knock down type, that is of a type where the box parts which generally are the bottom and the top, are each supplied in sheet form and scored so as to permit their being folded to provide the bottom and side wall structure, and in which the blanks are adapted to be folded immediately prior to the packaging of the goods, and in Fig. 5, of the drawing, is shown a blank from which the bottom is formed. I

Itwill be observed that this blank of Fig. 5 is scored or otherwise weakened parallel to each edge along the lines 81 and at an angle thereto along the lines 82 from the point at which the parallel scores cross each other to each corner of the blank.

The blank is further provided adjacent each corner with the three predeterminedly positioned and dimensioned elongated slots 83,84 and 85, one of the slots of each group being positioned substantially at right angles to the other for reasons that will be understood.

In the formation of the bottom of the box bottom 80 from the blank of Fig. 5, I fold the box along each of the score lines 81 for the full length of each score line and then fold each corner of the box along the score line 82 so as to provide the four upstanding walls of the container body of which three, 86, 87, and 88 are shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing and the triangular superposed portions 89, 90 at each corner which are then folded down uponthe outside of the adjacent wall, the complete folding being shown in the upper corner of Fig. 6 and the partial folding in the lower corner of said figure.

This manner of folding the blank will cause the elongatedslots 83, 84 and to register with the longest dimension presented vertically as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawing so as to provide the vertically positloned slot 91 adjacent each corner of the bottom of the container.

I preferably employ a fastener of the character such as shown in Fig. 9 for holding the box bottom in its folded condition and upon viewing this Fig. 9, it will be observed that this fastening element is made of sheet metal and preferably of a metal stamping bent so as to provide the eye or head portion 93,

the neck 94 and the feet or abutment memgiven a'90 rotation so as to cause the head 93 to be positioned horizontally, and transversely of the slot 91 thus locking the fastener in position against accidental removal and also thereby locking the parts in folded position against accidental separation.

A blank similar to that of Fig. 5 is em ployed for forming the cover member 99 except that the slots in the cover blank which correspond to the slots 83, 84 and 85 are so arranged that when the cover member is fully folded and formed, the slot 100 through said member adjacent each corner thereof formed by the registration of these slots and corresponding to the slot 91 in the bottom member will be positioned generallyhorizontally as shown in connection with the cover member of Figs. 7 and 8 of the draw- 1n It will also be understood that should there be any difference required in the dimensions between the blanks of the cover member and the bottom member, because of the fact that one is placed outside of the other, that provision can be made for this in cutting and scoring the blanks.

When the top member is folded exactlyin the same manner as is the bottom memher already described, the two are associated-merelyby telescoping the top member over the bottom member and the slot 100 adjacent each corner of the top member is preferably of the same dimensions as' is the slot 91 adjacent each corner of the bottom member except that it is positioned at right anglesthereto, so as to cause it to register with the horizontal position in which the fastener has already been placed as de- 1' scribed, and as shown in connection with the bottom member in Fig. 7. This permits of the slot 100 being passed over the head 93 of the fastener, upon which the fastener is again given a 90 rotation to its vertical position'to lock the two members to ether with the members locked together, now pass through the eyes 93 of each of the four locking members employed, a tackle 19 secured and sealed by seal 22 as already described in connection with Figs. 1 and 4.

The parts 96 of the eye or headportion 93 are preferably made flat and are positioned at such a distance from the feet or abutment members 95 as to snugly receive therebetween the superposed layers 87, 90

and 91 of the bottom and thecorresponding layers of the tops so as to permit of as little looseness as possible at this point. The feet or abutment members 95 as shown in the drawings are made much wider than the slots 91 and 100 so that under no cir cumstances can it be passed through the head and in Fig. 9, I show these feet as preferably being semi-circular because as will be understood when a rotation is given to this fastener of Fig. 9, after the garment is secured within the container, the liability of any sharp edge on these feet catching and tearing the garment will be reduced to a minimum, if not wholly eliminated.

In Figs. 10, 11 and 12, I show a further embodiment of ,my invention in which I employ a more sturdily constructed knockdown t pe. The blank 40 of Figure 10 is prefera- 1y scored or otherwise weakened for folding along the lines 41, 42, 43 and 44 so as to provide the sections 45, 46, 47, 48, 49. Each of these sections is provided adjacent its upper and lower edges with the roup of horizontally extended slots 50.

ne slot at the top and one slot at the bottom is illustrated as being employed for each section of the side wall structure, and preferably positioned midway of the tops of the sections, although as will be understood later, it is not necessary that all of these sections be slotted or that each be provided with but one slot 50 at the top and one slot 50 at the bottom.

The sections 45, 46, 47, 48 and 49 are further each provided both at the top and at the bottom with openings 50 positioned adjacent the lines of fold 41, 42, 43 and 44 thus providing the end sections with but one opening at the to and one at the bottom and the other sections with two such openings at the top and two such openings at the bottom. As will be observed upon viewing the drawings, whereas, the group of openings 50 are preferably horizontally elon ated, the group of openings 50 need not w e elongated, for reasons that will be understood later on.

When the blank of Fig. 10 is folded along the lines 41, 42, 43, and 44 so as to have each of the sectionsat right an les to the adjacent ones, there is provide the side wall construction of the container as shown in Fig. 12 of the drawing in which the section 46 forms the wall 46', the section 47 forms the wall 47, and 48, the wall 48 and the sections and 49 form the fourth wall 49 of the container body. The openings 50 at the top of the sections 45 and 49 are so arranged that when the blank of Fig. 10 is bent to form the side wall 49 of Fig. 12, these openings will be in substantial registry and the same is true of the openings 50 adjacentthe bottom of these sections.

The blank of Figure 11 which is to form the top is provided with a body section 51 and four projecting flanges '52, 53, 54 and 55, two of the opposite flanges namely 52 and 54 being each provided with the lips or extensions 56 and 57. The cover member which is shown in Fig. 12 as partly completed, is formed fromthis blank of Fig. 11 by bending the flanges 52, 53, 54 and 55 substantiall at right angles to the body member 51 a ong the lines 59, 60, 61 and 62 which bending operation may be made easy and along definite lines by a scoring or otherwise weakening the blank along these lines and the lips or extensions 56 and 57 of the flanges 52 and 54 are bent at right angles thereto and superposed upon the adjacent side walls of the cover formed by the flanges 53 and 55 as shown in connection with the flanges 52 in Fig. 12.1

The flanges 52, 53, 54 and 55 are each provided with an elongated'opening 58 substantially of the same size as the slots 50 already described as employed in the side wall con struction adjacent the top and so positioned as to cause them to register with these openings 50 when the cover is inserted within the upper end of the container as already described. in connection with my embodiment of Fig. 4. The lips 56 and 57 of each of the flanges 52 and 54 are further each provided with the opening so positioned and arranged as to cause them to register with the openings 66, formed adjacent each end of each of the flanges 53 and 55 when the flanges are bent down and the lips superposed upon the adjacent flanges to form the cover construction shown partly completed in Fig. 12.

The flanges 52 and 54 are further each provided with the openings 67 formed adjacent each end, the purposes of all of which will1 be understood as this specification is rea In Fig. 14 of the drawing, I show a blank from whch I form the member to secure the cover to the body and which functions somewhat as does the element 15 in Fig. 1 and which is constructed similarly to the blank of Figure 9. This blank is preferably in the form of a strip of metal stampedput so as to provide the neck or web portion 71 and the two head or shoulder portions 72 much larger than the connecting web 71 and this blank is bent and shaped so as to form, the construction 73 shown in Figs 15 wherein there is formed the head or eye port on 74 the neck 75 and the two oppositely dlrected feet 76'.

For an understanding of the manner in which the cover is associated with the body of the container, I will state that the bottom blank is in all respects a duplicate of the top blank of Fig. 10 and. is folded, and assembled with the bottom of the bod member to form the bottom closure in a] respects as the top cover is formed the blank of Fig. 11, and it will therefore be understood that the description of the top cover member and its manner of assembly a plies equally well to the bottom cover member. Therefore in this description of one, reference is frequently made to the other.

When the cover blank of Fig. 11 is ben to form the box cover as shown in partly completed form in Fig. 12, this cover member is inserted within the container substantially in the same way as the cover 30 is inserted within the container of Fig. 4. It will be understood that the openings or slots 58 in the side walls or flanges of the cover member 51 will register with the openings '50 adjacent the top of the wall members and registering openings 65 and g 66 and the openings 67 in the flanges 52, 53 54 and 55 upstanding from the cover 51 will all register with corresponding openings50' located on opposite sides of each corner at the top of the box structure.

The metal fastener 73 of Fig. 15 1s then inserted through the registering openings 50 and 58 in the box'cover and box body, the dimensions of the slots 50 and 58 being such as topermit the head or eye-portion 74 pass therethrough only when the head s presented horizontally and this head 74 s then turned through 90 so as to position it vertically as shown at the bottom of Fig. 12. In this'position, not only does the head serve to lock the cover in position, but the openings through the eye or head portion thereof are all presented in a common horizontal plane.

being positioned so as to permit of the rot-ation of these feet 74 of the fastener as already described.

A tackle 19 having tips 20 of the character described in connection with the embodiment of Fi 1 is then threaded alternately through t e .eye 77 of the head 74 of the fasteners and through the groups of registering openings on opposite sides of each corner of the box as shown more clearly in Fig. 13 of the drawing and the tips 20 of the tie member 19 are then secured in a seal or other fastener 22 substantially as described in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 16 of the drawing, I show a still further embodiment of my invention in which the cover is received within the top of the box as in the embodiment of Figs. 4 and 12 with the fastener however reversed so as to present the eye portion thereof within the outlines of the box and in this figure, I have illustrated this embodiment as employ ing the knockdown construction of Fig. 12 although as Will be understood, it can equally well be employed with the preformed con struction of Fig. 4. The fastener elements 73 are passed through the registering openings 50 and 58 in a reversed direction from that described in connection with Fig. 12 so that the oppositely directed feet 76 are positioned on the outside of and in contact with the outer surface .of the side walls of the container body and the head or eye portion 74 is presented on the inside.

The tackle or tie member 19 is threaded through the eye members and the registering openings 50, 65, 66 and 67 adjacent the corners in a reversed direction from that described in connection with Fi 12 so as to have the tackle 19 embrace -t e corners of the box as shown in this figure, the major portion of the tackle or tie member however, being positioned on the inside and within the walls thereof.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A box construction comprising a knockdown body, fastening means for retaining the body in set-u condition, said means comprising rotatab e studs designed to pass through certain portions of the body and to retain the body set up after rotation thereof, and a closure provided with slots which are engageable over said studs only after the latter have been so rotated.

2'. A box construction comprising a knockdown body, fastening means for retaining the body in set-up condition, said means comprising rotatable studs designed to pass through certain portions of the body and to retain the body set up after rotation thereof, and a closure provided with slots which are engageable over said studs only after the latter have been so rotated, said studs being so constructed and arranged that further rotation thereof will thereupon lock the closure to the body.

3. A box construction comprising a knockdown body, fastening means for retaining the body in set-u condition, said means comprising rotatab e studs desi 'ned to pass through certain portions of the body and to retain the body set up after rotation thereof, and a closure provided with slots which are engageable over said studs only after the latter have been so rotated, said studs being so constructed and arrangedthat further rotation thereof will thereupon lock the closure to the body, and a tie member en'- gageable with said studs after the closure is locked to prevent a retractive rotation of the studs.

4. A box construction comprising a knock? down body, fastening means for retaining the body in set-u condition, said means comprising rotatab e studs designed to pass through certain portions of the body and to retainmthe body set up after rotation there- 'of, and a closure provided with slots which are engageable over said studs only after the latter have been so rotated, said studs being so constructed and arranged that further rotation thereof will thereupon lock the closure to the body, and a tie member engageable with said studs after the closure is locked to prevent a retractive rotation of the studs, said tie member being provided at its ends with means for connecting said ends in an irremovable manner.

5. A hon construction comprising a knockdown body, fasteningmeans for retaining the body in set-u condition, said means comprising rotata 1e studs designed to pass through certain portions of the body and to retain the body set up upon rotation of the studs, each stud having an eyeleted head; and a closure provided with slots which are engageable over said stud heads only after the studs have been rotated as aforesaid, said studs being so constructed and arranged that further rotation thereof will thereupon lock the engaged closure to the body and also position the studheads with the eyelets in alignment, and a tie member threadable through said aligned eyelets for pre= venting retractive rotation of the studs.

6. A box construction comprising a knockdown body which includes superposed layers of material and wherein continued superposition retains the body in set-up condition, fastening means for retaining said layers in superposition, said means comprising rotat- -able studs designed to pass through said superposed layers and to lock the latter in superposition when the studs are rotated,

and a closure designed to telescope the body and provided with slots which are engageable over said rotated studs, the latter being so constructed and arranged that further rotation thereof will thereupon lock the. engaged closure to the body.

7. A box construction comprising a body having superposed layers of material provided with registering slots, a closure de- '8. box construction comprising a body having superposed layers of material, said layers being provided with a set of registering slots, a set of studs removably applicable through said slots and adapted upon rotation to retain said'layers in superposition, each stud having a medial shank, a laterally enlarged base, and a laterally enlarged head having an eyelet, whereby upon said rotation of the studs the superposed layers are securely held between the-bases and heads, a closure having slots which are so positioned and constructed as to engage over said heads only after said rotation, and a tie. element threaded through the eyelets to prevent a withdrawal of both the closure and the studs.

9. In a box construction, a body, a closure, said body and closure havin registering openings, a set of rotatable studs for removable applications through said openings, said studs eing so constructed and arranged that rotation thereof will lock the closure to the body, and means engageable with the rotated studs for preventing removal thereof despite any possible further rotation thereof.-

10. In a box construction, a body, a clo sure, said body and closure having re 'stering openings, a set of rotatable, stu s for removable application through said openings said studs being so constructed and arranged that rotation thereof will lock the closure to the body, and a tie element engageable with the rotated studs for preventing removal thereof despite any possible further rotation thereof.

11. In a box construction made of sheeted material bent along fold lines to form bottom and side walls, having excess material bent to overlap the side walls, and having aligned elongated slots through said overlapping portions, fastening elements extendlng through said slots and adapted to lock said overlapping portions against dis lacement by a partial rotary movement, a clbsure similarly formed and having its overlapping ,portions slotted to receive said fastening elements and adapted to be held in position by a further partlal rotary movement ofthe fastening elements, and sealing means comprising a flexible tie element engaging with successive fastening elements and provided at its terminal ends with locking toggle otherwise; whereby rotation of the stud members. after passage of its head through the body 12. A box construction comprising a body slot will preliminarily associate the stud having a slot in a wall thereof, a closure with the body, and whereby said head, by 5 designed to telescope the body and provided such rotation, may be brought into proper 1 with a slot which registers with said body position'for passage through the closureslot. slot at an angle thereto, and a separately In witness whereof, I have signed this applicalbe rotatable stud having a head specification, this 20th day of March, 1925. which is so shaped as to be passable through 10 each slot when it is aligned therewith but not MARCUS B. 

